SIUC has its focus 60 feet and six inches from home plate heading into a rematch with Southeast Missouri State University today.

After giving up five home runs in a 9-7 win over SEMO a week ago and allowing 30 runs in three games this weekend, Saluki baseball coach Dan Callahan has seen his pitching staff struggle enough for a whole season.

But the weekend was not a total loss as the Salukis won two of three games to finish second in their Saluki/Best Inns Classic at Abe Martin Field. SIUC also scored 41 runs in three games and placed six players on the All-Tournament team.

Advertisement

If we had to rate the weekend, I’d say the hitting was good, the defense was average and the pitching was poor, Callahan said. I think that’s the easiest way to sum it up.

With a 9.32 ERA and a 3-7 start, the Saluki hurlers have not been at the top of their games. Part of the reason is injuries, as junior starter Jason Frasor is still sidelined with a strained right elbow. Lefty seniors Aaron Bresko and Donnie Chester are expected to undergo surgery and miss the rest of the season.

It’s difficult enough that we don’t have Jason Frasor, the guy that we thought was good enough to be our No. 1 (starter), Callahan said.

But the future looks brighter for Frasor, who began throwing in the bullpen during SIUC’s 19-10 win over Western Illinois University Sunday. Callahan said the hard-throwing righthander is not back to 100 percent but has made improvement.

He wasn’t trying to exert himself to where the velocity would be there, Callahan said. I think right now it’s just a progressive thing where we’re just going to have to gradually get him back. I think he’s pain free. Now we just need to work on getting his arm strength back to where it was before.

Pitching is again on Callahan’s mind heading into the 2 p.m. matchup with the Indians at Abe Martin Field. The Salukis pulled out a 9-7 win one week ago in Cape Girardeau, Mo., but the SEMO sluggers smacked five home runs.

Callahan expects to use a variety of hurlers to put a crimp in the Indians’ offensive attack and to prepare for the team’s spring break trip to San Antonio March 8-14.

Advertisement*

We had the three games this weekend, and I don’t see where anybody has thrown so much to where they couldn’t throw, Callahan said. I think once again that will be one of those games that will be a tune-up for the spring trip. It will be a chance for guys to get some work in.

The staff has shown signs of life, led by sophomore Jim Pecoraro’s 4.72 ERA and one save among others. Pecoraro was the lone Saluki pitcher to earn All-Tournament honors this weekend.

We have had some bright spots, Callahan said. Pecoraro on a couple of occasions, [junior Brad] Heuring at Oklahoma State. [Senior David] Piazza after the second inning on Saturday I thought did a very good job. But with just a few exceptions, our pitching for the most part has been lousy.

One constant for SIUC this season is the Saluki hitters. The Salukis are hitting a robust .323 for the year, with senior first baseman Joel Peters and sophomore outfielder Dave Pohlman leading a talented core of sluggers.

Peters leads the Salukis in hits with 16 and doubles with seven and is third in batting average at .410, while Pohlman leads in RBIs with 12 and is tied with three others for the lead in home runs with two.

Sophomore second baseman Steve Ruggeri (.306), senior third baseman Matt Dettman (.421) and senior designated hitter Brad Benson (.375) joined Peters and Pohlman on the All-Tournament team.

Callahan knows his team’s hitting can keep the Salukis in games where their pitching is not sharp.

We’ve got some guys that can hit a little bit, Callahan said. We scored 41 runs in three games. We’re not going to score 41 runs every three games that we play. But at the same time, I think it does show that we can have a pretty potent lineup offensively.

SIUC gets a rematch with Southeast Missouri State University today at 2 p.m. at Abe Martin Field.